I am excited to report that I have moved on to a new job, a new country and a new culture.
I have taken the role of Science Partnerships Coordinator at
the National Agricultural Postgraduate School (ENA Meknès) in Morocco. The
position is funded by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the objective
of using research to build the capacity of young African professionals in agriculture,
and of promoting ENA Meknès’s excellent training and research expertise. The
most exciting prospect is the strong likelihood that I will be able to blog about
my work again; keep watching this blogspot!
So I am back on the African continent, but this is the first
time I am based in the Arabic world and in a majority Muslim country. I have now
spent my first month in Morocco and there is one stereotype I wish to debunk
from the start: the sun does not always shine on the land of the setting sun. I
think I have only had 6 sunny days since I have arrived in Morocco, first in
the capital Rabat and now in my new home base of Meknès. To my surprise, it has
been grey or raining hard nearly every day. Outside temperatures have been very
cold too in January, hovering between 3 and 8°C for two weeks in a row. However, most uncomfortable is
that modern buildings here are meant to stay cool during the hot season; they do
not retain heat during winter. I can witness that air-conditioners set on
reverse are rather inadequate heating systems. As a result, I find the temperature
inside buildings is very cold. We are all wearing down jackets and woolen scarves
indoors; some ladies wear a double head-veil to keep warm. My ageing joints are
suffering from the cold and damp. Visits to the Turkish baths and long hot
showers after sports sessions are the only ways I have found up till now to
sustain body warmth.
Another surprising first impression is linked to food. While
still waiting for my kitchenware to arrive, I am eating out every lunch and
dinner. Restaurants are few in Meknès; snack bars and cafés plentiful. The food
they serve is very repetitive and not particularly healthy. I have mainly been
served chunks of delicately spiced meat, lots of starch and given plentiful choice
options of fruit juices, sweet sodas, sweet dairy products, sweet snacks and
cakes. Although the market stalls are rich in vegetables and fresh leaves, I
have not seen them very often in my plates yet. It is likely the locals eat
their greens at home and go out for big helpings of meat.
With this new phase in my life, I am keen to be active again
in improving the potential of African youth in agriculture, explore my new Moroccan
surroundings and culture, meet new friends and keep searching for sunshine to
warm my body and fibres to balance my diet.
Just like in the song, although raindrops keep falling on my head, it won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me.
Raindrops keep falling on my head
B.J. Thomas
